Nuno hits back with stern response to Martino’s Jimenez, Man Utd tease

Raul Jimenez Wolves TEAMtalk

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo has insisted that Mexico manager Gerardo Martino’s comments on Raul Jimenez’s future are “not an issue”.

The forward’s international boss believes Jimenez would be better off moving to Old Trafford over Juventus.

Jimenez has scored 24 times in all competitions this season to fire Wolves into sixth in the Premier League.

What’s more, he has helped his side get to the last-16 of the Europa League, with the competition restarting in August.

Reports claim United want a striker and that Jimenez is on the club’s radar.

Ahead of Wolves’ trip to Sheffield United on Wednesday, however, Nuno remained relaxed about Martino’s comments.

He said: “It’s not an issue for us, we have a competition and a game to play. We have a lot of things in front of us. It’s not the moment to think about anything else. I’m sure Raul is totally, 100 per cent focused on what he has to do at Wolves.

 

“They are things which you can’t control, it’s up to you to decide if you pay attention or not. I admire Tata (Martino), he is a big manager, and honestly it doesn’t distract us.”

Jimenez has scored 33 per cent of Wolves’ Premier League goals. Nuno’s side are five points behind Chelsea in the race for the top four.

MARTINO’S JIMENEZ, MAN UTD COMMENTS

Raul Jimenez Wolves TEAMtalk

Martino said when asked about Jimenez’s future: “At Juventus, he will have more of a fight because [Cristiano] Ronaldo shares the inside of the pitch with whoever plays alongside him, with [Paulo] Dybala or with [Gonzalo] Higuain and maybe he has a tougher fight there.

“We who see it from the outside, you [the journalist] and even me, always have the idea that a player has to aim for more and how good it would be for him to go to play for Manchester United.”

Jimenez moved to Wolves from Benfica in the summer of 2018, initially on a loan deal.

However, he signed a permanent contract in April last year after an impressive season.